Two Birds [Book One]

[Chapter 6] Problems

(Btw, Tara's one of my OCs from another show (Don't worry she won't show up often, only when the plot needs her) so I have a Pinterest board of her lol)

The morning after.

"Ughhhh, why do I do this to myself?" Jerome groaned with his head in the toilet.

"Because your crippling self-loathing gets unbearable at times and you need to drown out the voices in random hook-ups and booze," Monty replied, typing away on his phone with a serious expression on his face.

"Oh yeah," the sick teen looked up at the ceiling in thought. Before looking back at his friend. "Who are you texting anyway?"

Monty paused. "Carla." he swallowed the invisible lump in his throat. "Oh..." Jerome quietly replied.

"Yeah."

They sat in silence once again, Monty staring sadly at his phone and Jerome looking into the toilet in shame.

"What's she saying?" the crouched teen said, somewhat bitterly. After Buggs sent the photo to their group chat their small group had said some... unflattering things about their mutual friend.

"What a fucking b-bitch!" he exclaimed, taking a sloppy swig from a near-empty water bottle. "Please do not call her that." Monty attempted to defend his long-time business partner and crush.

"I could've sworn I've heard you call her worse things than a bitch." Cindy interjected. The blonde girl dusted off nothing with the back of her hand off a small section of the edge of the large bathtub. "Can we please get out of this disgusting bathroom?" she fake-gagged.

"Hey! I'll have you know that this is a four-and-a-half-star AirB&B that we have the pleasure of trashing tonight!"

"...Jerome, don't get involved..."

Cindy rolled her eyes and stood. "Yeah, an AirB&B that currently reeks of puke," she eyed Monty. "And 'cheating ass-skank'" she smirked. The rest of the room (excluding Monty) nodded in sympathy and pity toward their close friend.

"She didn't cheat on me," the ginger placed both his hands on the sink behind him and hoisted himself up in order to stand (or at least Monty's version of standing). The group of teens began to exit the cramped bathroom and headed for the master bedroom down the hall. "We were never together, it's literally impossible!"

"Yeah, but everyone -Out-" Cindy gestured towards two teenagers getting handsy on the large bed in the center of the room. They looked up at the group in terror and embarrassment, the two quickly scurried away out of the room, muttering a quiet 'sorry' as they passed. "-Knew you guys had this weird 'academic rivals to lovers' thing going." she continued without a second thought. The girl took Monty's hand and led him to the side of the bed where they both took a seat.

"Was it really that obvious?" the boy, sadly, chuckled and looked down at his feet. He had been downplaying how hurt he was since he saw the possible 'love of his life' getting a little too friendly with upperclassmen.

"A little, babes." her voice softened a bit.

Buggs and Jerome stood before them and looked at their usually cocky and apathetic friend with a sympathetic frown. "You know, I could always fuck her up for you. Equal rights, equal fights?" Jerome elbowed Buggs in the stomach for that comment. "He's joking."

"I'm really not- oW!" he grabbed his knee in pain as jabbed her heel into the bottom of it. 'Shut the fuck up!' she mouthed.

Monty laughed. A real, genuine, laugh as he looked at his friends. "Thanks, Buggs, but I'm good."